1st Full Day in Beijing Scott and I had a restful night and began the morning with breakfast in the hotel and then meeting the Divis family from Ohio, like Scott, Mark is also fascinated by cars so the men enjoyed chatting about this on our bus rides today. We also met the Smith family who have a 17 month old daughter and the daughter from China is 4 months younger. Our day began with a trip to a Jade factory - it was really fascinating to see the intricate work involved in the pieces created by these workers. We learned the jade workers learn these skills from their family and this trade is handed down from generation to generation. Scott purchased a jade dragon, since Kristin was born in the Year of the Dragon. We also bought a bracelet to give to Kristin one day. Our next stop was The Great Wall - it was bitter cold, but an amazing view. The steps were very steep with some covered in ice - Scott walked a good distance with the Divis family up to the tower - while I waited at a lower section - the heights and unevenness of the steps made me uneasy - going up and down The Great Wall so I decided to wait instead of climb higher. After leaving The Great Wall we had lunch at a local restaurant - our group was in a private room and we were served a variety of Chinese dishes including lamb, chicken, pork meatballs, fried rice, sliced potatoes, dumplings, etc. We had wonderful conversation with the families and our guide, Dion, and our driver. It warmed my heart when Dion said he was planning to go to Seminary School in Indiana by the fall of 2013. He then proceeded to tell us Christianity was quite prevalent in China with many people turning towards God for hope and comfort through Christianity. Another surprise to us was to see so many places decorated for Christmas - many beautifully decorated trees and buildings for the Christmas season. Our next adventure was a stop by "The Bird's Nest", where the Olympics were held. Again, it was VERY COLD, so we stopped for a quick photo before heading to a Tea Shop. The tea Shop was an interesting experience - similar to a wine tasting tour. All of us went to a room and a lady explained the different types of tea and how each tea offered some type of medicinal health benefit. We tried seven different types of tea ranging in flavors - we also learned the first tea served had to be consumed in three sips and how men and ladies should hold the tea cup. The shop had beautiful tea sets for sale. We also saw an acrobat/Kung Fu show. It was entertaining, however, more geared towards children. On the way back to the hotel we stopped by a bakery for a few pastries. Everyone was really tired. We had a great day and will meet in the morning at 8:45 to travel to Nanchang and meet our daughters at 4:00.